Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Sutherland Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland (née Gordon, 24 May 1765–29 January 1839), also suo jure
19th Countess of Sutherland, was a Scottish peeress
, best remembered for her involvement in the Highland Clearances
.
Elizabeth was the only surviving child of the William Gordon, 18th Earl of Sutherland and his wife, Mary Maxwell. She succeeded to her father's titles in 1766, a few weeks after her first birthday, becoming Countess of Sutherland.
, had a reputation for being especially cruel in the Highland Clearances
. The clearances brought widespread condemnation and the Highland Land League
eventually achieved land reform in the enactment of Crofting Acts, but these could not bring economic viability and came too late at a time when the land was already suffering from depopulation. Elizabeth, on seeing the starving tenants on her husband's estate, remarked in a letter to a friend in England, "Scotch people are of happier constitution and do not fatten like the larger breed of animals."
and they had four surviving children:
Shortly before his death in 1833, her husband was created Duke of Sutherland
and Elizabeth became a duchess. On her own death six years later, her comital title
passed to her eldest son, George
.
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
19th Countess of Sutherland, was a Scottish peeress
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland is the division of the British Peerage for those peers created in the Kingdom of Scotland before 1707. With that year's Act of Union, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England were combined into the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a new Peerage of Great Britain was...
, best remembered for her involvement in the Highland Clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
.
Elizabeth was the only surviving child of the William Gordon, 18th Earl of Sutherland and his wife, Mary Maxwell. She succeeded to her father's titles in 1766, a few weeks after her first birthday, becoming Countess of Sutherland.
Involvement in the Highland Clearances
Elizabeth and her factor, Patrick SellarPatrick Sellar
Patrick Sellar was a Scottish lawyer who is notorious for his role in the Highland Clearances.Born into a wealthy family in Moray in 1780 and died in Elgin in 1851. He is buried in Elgin Cathedral...
, had a reputation for being especially cruel in the Highland Clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
. The clearances brought widespread condemnation and the Highland Land League
Highland Land League
The first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party...
eventually achieved land reform in the enactment of Crofting Acts, but these could not bring economic viability and came too late at a time when the land was already suffering from depopulation. Elizabeth, on seeing the starving tenants on her husband's estate, remarked in a letter to a friend in England, "Scotch people are of happier constitution and do not fatten like the larger breed of animals."
Title and family
On 4 September 1785, she married Lord George Leveson-GowerGeorge Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland KG, PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1758 to 1786, as Earl Gower from 1786 to 1803 and as The Marquess of Stafford from 1803 to 1833, was a British politician, diplomat, landowner and patron of the arts. He is estimated to have been the...
and they had four surviving children:
- George Granville Leveson-Gower, later Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, styled Earl GowerGeorge Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of SutherlandGeorge Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG , styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British peer....
, later styled Marquess of Stafford, later 2nd Duke of Sutherland (1786–1861) - The Lady Charlotte Sophia Leveson-GowerCharlotte Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of NorfolkCharlotte Sophia Fitzalan-Howard , Duchess of Norfolk was a daughter of the 1st Duke of Sutherland and his wife, Elizabeth....
(c. 1788–1870), married Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk and had issue. - The Lady Elizabeth Mary Leveson-Gower (1797–1891), married Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of WestminsterRichard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of WestminsterRichard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster KG, PC , styled Viscount Belgrave from 1802 to 1831 and Earl Belgrave from 1831 to 1845, was an English politician, landowner, property developer and benefactor....
and had issue. - The Lord Francis Leveson-Gower, later EgertonFrancis Egerton, 1st Earl of EllesmereFrancis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere KG, PC , known as Lord Francis Leveson-Gower until 1833, was a British politician, writer, traveller and patron of the arts...
, later 1st Earl of Ellesmere (1800–1857)
Shortly before his death in 1833, her husband was created Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland, derived from Sutherland in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom held by the head of the Leveson-Gower family. It was created by William IV in 1833 for George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford...
and Elizabeth became a duchess. On her own death six years later, her comital title
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
passed to her eldest son, George
George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG , styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British peer....
.